ED popular in Maharashtra as ‘Extortion Department’: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi
The Hindu
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi went on to say that the ED (Enforcement Directorate) had become popular in Maharashtra as the ‘Extortion Department.’
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre for allegedly misusing the central investigation agencies to target Opposition party leaders not only in Maharashtra but across the country.
“The central agencies are being used by the BJP as a tool to attack, influence and coerce opposition leaders by cooking up false charges to topple governments and to switch sides to benefit the BJP,” she said.
She went on to say that the ED (Enforcement Directorate) had become popular in Maharashtra as the ‘Extortion Department.’
Ms. Chaturvedi also alleged that the BJP has become a ‘washing machine’ which washes away the sins of the tainted by merely joining hands with the party. “As much as 95% of the investigations against politicians by these agencies are targeted against opposition to silence them and destabilise democratic principles and constitutional morality of the nation,” she alleged.
Alleging ‘double standards’ by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, the Rajya Sabha member said that the former had stopped attacking Shiv Sena leaders like Pratap Sarnaik, Yadhwant Jadav, Bhavana Gawali and Arjun Khotkar after they joined Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s camp.
“Looking at Maharashtra, we have seen how rabble rouser Kirit Somaiya has been wheeled in to level charges, throw much against leaders of opposition through press conferences and tweets,” she said, sharing a list of tweets and media interactions by Mr. Somaiya against some leaders before and after they joined hands with Mr. Shinde.
Mr. Somaiya had also levelled allegations against Kripashankar Singh and Narayan Rane of corruption and money laundering worth Rs. 300 crore respectively. “Ever since they joined hands with the BJP, ‘Mr. Rabble Rouser’ had remained silent,” she said, adding that it clearly shows the strategy of the BJP - to actively use agencies in leaving the members of opposition parties with no option but to defect.
In 2021, five women from Mayithara, four of them MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers, found a common ground in their desire to create a sustainable livelihood by growing vegetables. Rajamma M., Mary Varkey, Valsala L., Elisho S., and Praseeda Sumesh, aged between 70 and 39, pooled their savings, rented a piece of land and began their collective vegetable farming journey under the Deepam Krishi group.